Project Staff

Edward Boisson is Principal of Boisson & Associates, a consulting firm established in 1998, specializing in recycling market development, product stewardship and documentation of environmental and economic impacts. Mr. Boisson manages the day-to-day operations of the project and conducts market research and business assistance. Among Mr. Boisson's many projects are the Beverage Container Stewardship Project, a coalition of local, state and federal government recycling agencies working to forge partnerships with the beverage industry; Manager of the national Multi-Stakeholder Recovery Project, sponsored by Businesses and Environmentalists Allied for Recycling; analysis of feedstock conversion opportunities in Massachusetts; and Co-organizer of five recycling investment forums.

Robert Kirby was the glass specialist for the Clean Washington Center from 1991 to 1999. A mechanical engineer with a lifelong involvement in energy and materials, Bob Kirby has managed over thirty glass research projects. Summaries of many of those projects can be found at www.cwc.org. Kirby was principal author of the National Institute for Standards and Technology Best Practices in Glass Recycling project and two Northwest regional EPA Jobs Through Recycling projects. Kirby has helped to influence a number of business start-ups based on recycled glass, including three current manufacturers of glass tile. In 2001 Kirby was the recipient of an EPA Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Grant to investigate the process and energy implications of making outdoor paving from recycled glass.

For technical questions about using recycled glass in kiln processes, contact Robert Kirby at kirbgood@earthlink.net.

CEED Staff

Daniel M. Ihara, PhD, CEED's Executive Director. Dr. Ihara received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Oregon, and has been CEED Executive Director since 1998. He has taught at Humboldt State University's International Development Technology graduate program since 1992. His areas of specialization include climate change education and outreach and environmental cost benefit analysis.

Ruthanne Cecil, J.D., CEED's Program Development Director. Ms. Cecil assists each phase of the project. She manages CEED's Sustainable Humboldt programs, including Zero Waste, Sustainable Energy; and Forests and Watersheds. She received her law degree from the University of California, Hastings, and specializes in international economic and environmental policy, with a specialty on global funding for sustainable development.

The project also includes recycling market development experts Margaret Gainer and Maureen Hart (Humboldt Country's Recycling Market Development Zone Coordinator) and financing expert Haazim Rashid of the National Development Council, who will provide feedback and suggestions during the course of the project.

CEED's work

The Center for Environmental Economic Development (CEED) is an Arcata-based 501(c)(3) non-profit California Corporation formed in 1993. For over ten years CEED has worked as a catalyst for environmentally sustainable community development locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. The Recycled Glass Feedstock Conversion Project will further the organization's goals of promoting environmentally sound economic development. CEED's full-time professional staff of two is complemented by two paid student employees and 8-10 student interns. For each project, we assemble teams tailored to the project tasks.

Some of CEED's previous projects include:

Department of Conservation, Division of Recycling: CEED promoted recycling market development, and the use of recycled content landscaping products

CEED spearheaded the Fire Arts Business Incubator that fostered the creation of local environmental and artistic oriented small businesses.

With the US EPA, CEED convened a model Organics Recycling Board in rural California to increase diversion and marketing of commercial organic materials.

In 2003, CEED researched and prepared a guide to sustainable building targeted to the state's Indian tribes, under contract to the Center for Indian Community Development with funding from the California Integrated Waste Management Board.

Through a contract with US EPA Headquarters (in partnership with Boisson & Associates) CEED provided strategic planning services to the national Plastic Redesign Project.